Anchor



Patented Apr. 15, 1952 :UNITED STATES, PATE Nr OFFICE ANCHOR James V.' Crawford and Raymond W, Jensen, Los Y.

' Angeles, Calif., `assignors to The YGarrett (Jor-v poration, Los Angeles, Calif.,a.c0rporation of California `Application December 13,1947, Serial N 0.17913554 v claims. (c1.j1147-. .207)r "Our ,invention `relates to marine' anchors.

- More particularly it relates to marine anchors of y*these-called light-weight, foldingtype.. Anchors ofthe general type of that of the present invention are disclosed in the patent yto rNorthrop and Gesnen Reissue 21,841, .dated June`24, A1941. One problemV encountered inthe use ofvlight- 'weight :boatw anchors by owners of small Vlcraft orjseaplanes is that of aboardship vstowage and handling posedby the peculiarly awkward shape4 ofthese anchors. 'An anchor of this type hasa shank,` and a stock at'the crown or bottom end ofthe lshank lat right-:angles thereto. Afluke arm with `its flukes is disposed at the bottom of the shank, `but in a plane atright angles to the plane of the shank and stock. The `result is an object which by its very` intent and purpose is lsoshaped that it will not lie 'flat against a' boat Vdeck or in 'a locker, unless it canbefolded. The

'aforementioned patent discloses a folding anchor,

'but the -'construction taughtiis regardedras being/relatively complex.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention'to provide ananchor of the-'aforementioned type which can be folded and which is of simple construction.

`We obtain our objective by securing the shank and stock in xedly assembled relationship and by detachably securing thereto a unitary armand-fluke` member. By the operation of a simple latch the fluke arm member may be released from secured engagement with the stock and shank. It may then be slid up the shank to a point where it maybe swung through ninety degrees, until "itlies in the plane of the shank and stock. whereupon it may be slid down the shank and relatched in stowingposition. 1t is a further object to provide a cooperative *sliding* and rotating relationship between the fluke arm-and the shank, whereby the various parts vof the anchor are-not separated from each other during any part-of the operation of changing the anchor from working to stowing positions or vice versa, thereby eliminating any possibility ofA lost lpins; bolts, etc. V

Further objects will be apparent 'upon an inspection of the accompanying drawings when considered with the following description and the appended claims. Y

Referring to the drawings, .wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the anchor in its usual Vor working position,

Figure `2 is aperspective view of the anchor showing it prepared for stowing,

.2 I y 4. Figure 3 isa fragmental .cross-sectional view taken inthe plane 3 3 of 'Figure `1, .and n f l Figure iis a 'partially cross-sectional lfra'g- -mental view taken on vthe line 4,-4.of Figur'el 3.

The anchor is shown as having a .shank I0,of a `generally square-channeled cross-sectionfand tapering4 symmetrically `from its smallest crosssectional dimensions at-the free end I Ietoits largest cross-sectional dimensions atV the-.crown end I2. The free end of the shank hasfa hole I3 toreceive a ring YIll for the ,purpose `of `attaching "an anchor cable `(not shown). .The

crown end of the shankrreceives the stoc'kffIS through apertures I6 in thevshank sides H,.`as

`best shown in Figure 4. `The `ceritralportion `of the stock which lies between .the sides no'ffthe shank is flattened at Ilia to secure itagainst endwise movement within theraper-tures. Disposed within` the channel ofi` the shank isla latchl, preferably made from a strip of spring. steel bent to shape as shown and secured `to the-,web AI9 of the shankgby means of rivets-20. M 1

Slidably disposed on the shank lllrs` a "uke arm 2|, generally channel.shaped-.in -crossvsection, having iiukes 22 of suitable size and shape,

integral therewith and disposed substantiallyfin spaced symmetrical 'relationship as shown. lThe -arm and flukes are` preferably stamped-.from a single piece of steel strip, as is the shank I0. .A

The arm2l has at its center asquareaperture 23 in a web 23a of such size that the armltsthe shank'snugly adjacent the crownrendiwhenfthe anchor is in either its working or stowingpostion. vBy virtue of the tapering cross-sectiongvof theshank, when thearm 2l is slid .upthe shank Ato a position near the relatively. small freecerd thereoi` `(as shownA by the dotted outlinefinFigure 1), thearm is capable of 90 `rotationin `eithervdircction about theaxis oftheshankto a position in the plane of the shank fandl stock, whereupon` it may be slid back 4downgthe shank to the position shown in Figure 2,` Irfrdesiijfe'd, the ring I4 may be lof such size that it will prevent the armirom-fsliding completely othe shank.

owners of small watercraft, seaplanes, etc.

ing position shown in Figure 1 to the stowing or handling position shown in Figure 2, it is only necessary to depress the latch I8, thereby releasing the uke arm 2i from locked relationship with the shank and stock. The fluke arm may then be slid up the tapered shank to the point shown in dotted outline. whence it may be rotated 90 in either direction on the axis of the shank. After rotation the iiuke arm is then slid back down the shank to the position shown in Figure 2, where the side wall portions of the arm coverv the sides of the stock I5, at which point the latch I8 Will spring out to retain the arm in that position against sliding movement. In order to return the fluke arm to its working position it is only necessary to reverse the above steps.

It will thus be seen that we have invented a novel and simple anchor construction which readily solves a vexing stowage problem for the It will, of course, be apparent that departures may be made from the design and construction illustrated and described without departing from the essence and scope of our invention as dened by the appended claims.

We claim: i

1. In an anchor adapted to be latched in stowing and working, positions, the vrcombination of:

an elongated shank having a generally channeled cross-section along its longitudinal axis from a region adjacent the crown end to a region distal thereof, said shank being ,reduced in size at said distal region; a stock immovably `secured adjacentvthe crown end of said shank;` a fluke arm having an aperture in one face thereof, said aperture having a configuration for slidingly receiving said shank adjacent the crown end thereof in the stowing and working positions of the anchor, said fluke arm being rotatable between the stowing and working positions about said longitudinal shank axis adjacent said distal region; and latch means disposed in the channel of said shank adjacent the crown end thereof,

' said latch means comprising a detent portion normally, urged outwardly from said channel and overlying a surface on said fluke arm when `said anchor is in its stowing and working positions.

2. In an anchor adapted to be latched in stowing and working positions, the combination of an elongated shank of generally channeled crosssection, said shank being reduced in size at a region distal of its crown end; a, stock immovably secured adjacent the crown end of said shank; a

uke arm of generally channeled cross-section comprising a web and sides downwardly disposed from said web, said fluke arm web being apertured so as to slidably receive said shank thereinthe channel formed by said iiuke arm web and arm sides receiving said stock in overlying relationship when said anchor is latched in its stowing position, said arm sides being apertured so as to receive said stock when said anchor is latched in its working position, said fluke arm being rotatable between the stowing and workingfpositions about said longitudinal Ishar'ik axis from said web, said web being apertured so as to slidingly receive said shank therein, the channel formed by said web and sides receiving said stock in overlying relationship when said anchor is in its stowing position, said sides being apertured so as to receive said stock when said anchor is in its working position.

4. The invention of claim 3 further characterized by said iluke arm sides being apertured adjacent the lower edges thereof distal of said web aperture, the distance of said web aperture from said side apertures being such that substantial rocking movement of said uke arm on said shank is prevented when said anchor 'is in its working position.

5. In combination in an anchor adapted to be latched in stowing and working positions, said anchor having a shank and a stock imrnovably secured adjacent the crown end of said shank; a fluke arm of generally channeled cross-section comprising a web and sides extending from said Web, said web being apertured so as to slidingly receive said shank therein, the channel formed by said web and sides receiving said stock in overlying relationship when the anchor is latched in its stowing position, said sides being apertured 'so as to receive the'stock whensaid anchor is latched in its working position, said fluke arm being rotatable about said shank at a region distal of said latching positions; and latch means on said shank, said means comprising a detent portion overlying a surface on said iiuke arm for releasably securing said fluke arm against sliding movement away from said positions.

JAMES V. CRAWFORD. RAYMOND W. JENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the v le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

